To Catch a Rake: The Rake’s Handbook #3 by Sally Orr

Who can resist a rake? I know I can’t, and the newest installment in Sally Orr’s The Rake’s Handbook Series was no exception. Read on for my review of

To Catch a Rake

The second I’ve read in this series, the premise: a slam book for the more scandalous adventures of the ladies of the ton is a runaway best seller. Using initials and the whiff of scandal, the book has created several different reactions, from ladies looking to have their identity confirmed and their position bettered within the next installment to the premise of our story, a broken engagement when an innocent appears to have garnered a mention. The author, George Drexel never really considered a childish prank to have caused so many issues, and is determined to focus on his engineering. A current project, a tunnel underneath the Thames is occupying all but a few moments of his day.

Through no action of her own, Lily Russell is jilted by her fiancé as he believes the “LR” in the handbook and field guide is her. While not wanting that particular man back (smart girl) she does want to discover why her initials are used, and if there is any way to sort the issue. She takes to her sister, the widowed Meta, to confront and resolve the issue. Not easily daunted or derailed, she discovers much more to George than just the profligate rake she was expecting.

Characters are a strength in this story, while I found George to be a bit difficult to appreciate, I did enjoy all of the engineering problems and information thrown up throughout the story. Meta is solidly in her sister’s corner, but it was her tenacity in digging behind George’s façade to find who he truly was that made this story so enjoyable. Secondary characters played nicely into the story, adding elements that allowed both characters to show their innate kindness and generous spirits, and kept me reading on. Less fantastical than When A Rake Falls, this story uses Orr’s research, skills in characterization and some truly fascinating history to move the story forward and bring out couple together.

George Drexel is chased by ladies who desire to have their initials inscribed in future editions of his scandalous handbook, The Rake's Field Guide. Meta Russell, however, is furious when initials similar to her sister's is included, resulting in the cancellation of her sister's engagement.

To help Meta and get revenge, her friends pen their own field guide about London's rakes and include the initials "G.D." The scandal damages George's reputation and hinders his abilities as an engineer to obtain public contracts. So George sets out to convince Meta to destroy all copies of the ladies field guide. Quickly learning how hotheaded and passionate Meta can be, George must prove just how persuasive a true rake can be.

See The Rake’s Handbook Series on GoodReads

A copy of this title was provided via Publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

About Sally Orr

Sally Orr worked for thirty years in medical research, specializing in the discovery of gene function. After joining an English history message board, she posted many, many examples of absolute tomfoolery. As a result, a cyber-friend challenged her to write a novel. Since she is a hopeless Anglophile, it's not surprising that her first book is a Regency romance. Sally lives with her husband in San Diego, surrounded by too many nerdy books and not enough old English cars.